Jared Goff Faces Toughest Test Yet: Sauce Gardner and Ferocious Jets Defense Invade Ford Field
Detroit's high-octane offense has rolled at home, but New York's secondary hasn't allowed a 250-yard passer all season.
Key Story Takeaways
- Detroit enters Sunday as 6.5-point home favorites at Ford Field.
- Jared Goff leads the NFL in play-action completion percentage (78.2%) from inside the pocket.
- Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner has allowed only two catches on 68 coverage snaps this season.
- Lions running back tandem Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have averaged 5.1 yards per carry.
DETROIT — Ford Field has quickly become one of the loudest, most suffocating environments in pro football. But this Sunday, Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions welcome a defense that doesn't care how loud it gets: Sauce Gardner and the New York Jets.
Detroit boasts one of the most balanced, explosive offenses in football. With Penei Sewell anchoring an elite offensive line, Jared Goff has operated with clean pockets and picked defenses apart over the middle.
Dan Campbell: "Bite Down on Your Mouthguards"
Campbell knows Sunday won't be a walk in the park:
"We know who they are and they know who we are," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said. "The Jets have cornerbacks who can play island coverage, and their front four gets off the ball with venom. We have to bite down on our mouthguards and impose our will."
Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh was equally complimentary of Detroit's physical identity:
"That offensive line is the gold standard in football right now. They move people against their will. If you don't anchor and play physical, it's going to be a very long afternoon."
The Chess Match: Amon-Ra St. Brown in the Slot
Will the Jets have Sauce Gardner follow Amon-Ra St. Brown into the slot? New York rarely shadows with Gardner, preferring to keep him on the left boundary. If Goff can find St. Brown on quick slants and option routes away from Sauce, Detroit's machine will keep rolling.